Here is a volume of 16 stories, 3 poems, and a stage play from Authors in Louisiana. These are fresh voices with a variety and diversity of topics. The subjects in the anthology range from:
success stories (rags to riches; hard work pays off; appreciation of a teacher),
to a story about a farmer outsmarting a land grabber,
to early suffragists,
to a story about the Christmas chaos,
to spiritual poetry,
to a kidnapping story,
to romance, young love, and friendship,
to amnesia and renewal,
to the struggle of writing about abuse,
to a story about HMO issues,
to a stage play.
Not all are situated in Louisiana, but all are Louisiana authors.

When taken individually, each is a gem; when taken as a whole, the book represents insight and talent by our authors.

Selected short works by WGA members.

Winnie, Jerry and Dad visit the campgrounds again, but all is not well.

THE 1960s FROM A FRONT ROW SEAT! Riding on the Ether Express is a memoir of 1960s Los Angeles, the Rise of Freeform Underground Radio, and the Legendary KPPC-FM.

Travelers from all over the world pay a visit to Louisiana to immerse themselves in Cajun culture. Hospitality, food, and a love of life are intrinsic to our culture. Prayer from the Christian roots and morals of ancestors' past have not been forgotten deep in the heart of Cajun Country. Cajun Gumbo for the Soul is a beautiful book about one woman's Airbnb hosting experience in Lafayette, Louisiana, and the prayers she prayed for the travelers who stayed at her home. Praying for strangers of all kinds is an uplifting approach that allows for an abundance of gratitude and compassion to cultivate in our daily lives. Grab a cup of gumbo or head down to Cajun Country for some soul-nourishing Cajun joie de vivre. All proceeds from the sale of this book go to Catholic Charities of Acadiana (CCA) to support people experiencing homelessness in Acadiana on their journey to eternity.

As early as 1765, Acadians began to settle near St. Martinville in the center of an area known as Cote Gelee, or "Frozen Hill," due to seasonal cold temperatures that covered the Mississippi River with ice. These early settlers were exiles from Acadie (now Nova Scotia, Canada). They established farms that, in the early 1800s, became interspersed among expanding sugar plantations. With a motto of "Where our rich culture defines us," Broussard is one of the fastest growing cities in Louisiana today. Embracing its past has made way for Broussard's competitive spirit that positions its leaders in not only the state, but also the world. The Billeaud Sugar Mill, which supported the community for many years, has now diversified into land acquisitions. The St. Julien families, identified for many generations with agricultural, professional, and political interests, have long-standing ties to the community, as do sports figures such as National League umpire Greg Bonin and two Blanchard siblings who competed in the Junior Olympics.

The French speaking Acadians earliest history was wrought by hardships, blood. and sacrifices. These gentle farming people were forced to flee from their homes in Nova Scotia. They were deported to foreign shores on both sides of the Atlantic for their refusal to bow down to British rule. Through the courageous efforts of Joseph "Beausoleil" the guerilla leader that stayed behind in Acadie, helping the Acadians to move to the Cote Gelee area in 1765.

It’s the 1970s in Pointe a La Hache a southern community on the Louisiana gulf coast, where two young teens experience first love. But from the beginning the hand of fate conspires against Jake Lebleu, whose main interests lie beyond this earth. Since an early age he’s been drawn to the universe’s stars and galaxies with the desire to preach the gospel to the nations. On the other hand, Willow Caine, the neighboring golden girl he falls for aspires to be a third generation traiteur, a faith healer. After a tragic farming accident that took her father’s life, she’s tossed into a spirals world of chaos and darkness. Jake volunteers at the Agape Fellowship Church where he teaches a weekly Bible teen class. The church welcomed a new pastor Bubba Durant from Broken Arrow Oklahoma who wants a make a good first impression on the towns congregation .Pastor Bubba planed a end of school summer field day out at the deserted Fort de La Boulaye near the river. When a mock war game goes awry Willow to the surprise of everyone rushes in healing a boy acting as a French soldier whose arm was crushed in a mock fight with an Indian marauder. Her boyfriend Jake is dismayed not understanding how she was able to heal him and tries to persuade her to commit herself to higher power.Jake tried several times to understand why she was so set on learning the old ways of her maternal grandmother an Atakapa/Ishak curanderismo, a faith healer. On Father’s Day Jake’s parents take him to Delacroix Island to gather information for his senior exit thesis. On the Island he meets Manuel Gonzales, an Atakapa/Ishak trapper that entertains Jake with an old legend from a passing missionary relating to the Roswell alien landing.Jake shares with Willow what he learned and they make plans to revisit Delacroix Island as Willow’s mother and grandmother were born on the Island.On the young couples visit to Delacroix Island , Manuel Gonzales takes them to Black Bayou that is on one of the many tributaries, to see the haunted ‘Maison Delacroix” Plantation. As she explores the mansion, she experiences her first telepathic encounter as she looks upon the portrait of Henri and Isabella Delacroix, distant relatives on her mom’ side.Anadora and her daughter Isabella Delacroix led a double life when they came from the Canary Islands. They brought their unholy practice’ of Voudon and human sacrificing with them. Meanwhile on another galaxy many moons away from earth lived the Jagans, dark angels banished from the Kingdom of Heaven to forever resided in a world without light. When Willow returned home from Delacroix Island the nights of dark dreaming began as that alien entity implanted telepathic messages into her mind. The next day Willow attended her first session at a new Yoga studio where she will be studying Reiki. Her healing skills came in to play again as another student experienced a severe asthma attack and quit breathing. Willow’s prayers heal the girl instantly. An ambulance had been called but the EMT’s check out the girl pronouncing her asthma free.Her heroic efforts earned her the young hero award from the Plaquemine Ambulance company .When the news of Willow’s Exploits spread, she is hailed as a hero, no more the troubled teen that had a defiant spirit.With the teens soon to start college their lives were filled with harmony and hope for the future. Mardi Gras season began and Willow and her two friends that are into the black arts take her to an occult emporium. There a Medium reads her Tarot and gives her an item that will link her soul to another galaxy where the dark angels reside. The next day Jake announced to Willow he will be attending the Worldwide Ufologist Conference in New Orleans in December. Ufologists and scientists from around the world will debate the existence of aliens and he will sit in as a junior delegate. Jake accepts a NASA research project Houston. During his absence Willow disappears.

Every little girl has a hero, mine was my father, Joseph Erray Ardoin. To me he was someone who always had all the right answers. I could always share my dreams and hear him whisper to me, “Go for it, if that’s what you want to do.” If I failed in my studies or learning to play an instrument he would always tell me “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” He had issues in his life that he couldn’t always control, but it never stopped him from putting our family first. The poem “Reflections on a Clear Day’ was written while my husband was driving me to be with my family as the news of my father’s death had just reached us. He had survived a heart attack, a debilitating stroke which left him confined to a wheelchair; and after seven years succumbed to cancer. My father had an odd sense of humor which I inherited. Knowing him you could always see the little boy inside . One amusing memories of him remains of him sitting in his wheelchair under the pine years in the yard pretending he was on a squirrel hunt. As an avid hunter and fishman all his life he enjoyed cooking for friends and family. Though his body could no longer take him to the hunt his memories would surface and bring him to his favorite spots in the local bayous and lake’s. To those of you that are reading this book maybe you are suffering from some uncurable disease or maybe a financial trial just remember that there is nothing you can’t overcome if you cast all your cares upon Jesus. He overcame death, hell and the grave that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

From Another Universe a quasi-autobiographical book explores the possibilities of other dimensions, quarks and time travel. Set in two widely different eras David, a retired Air Force mechanic reflects on the loss of his beloved Deanna some fifty years ago, in a world far removed from his southern home in Louisiana. David married his lovely Scottish lass in Scotland in the fifties during the early years of space travel. Her untimely death sends David into a deep tailspin of depression. Following his tour of duty, he returns to Youngsville, Louisiana where suddenly at age 71 he gets mysterious midnight phone calls and magical letters and notes that appear out of nowhere all claiming to be from his Deanna.

If you’re a Ray Bradbury fan this book is written much in the same vein. The books other characters are molded much like characters from James Lee Burke being, craggy beer-drinking card players.

You will follow as the aged David receives mysterious phone calls in the night, letters and notes that appear out of nowhere all from a woman claiming to be his wife. Follow as the clues lead Glen to a remote location in Pecan Island. He must then make a decision that will forever change his life.